Long ball dooms Ervin Santana again in Rays’ 5-0 win over Angels

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. —Ervin Santana gave up a career-high four home runs — solo shots to Desmond Jennings, Luke Scott, B.J. Upton and Carlos Pena — in the Angels’ 5-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night.

The Angels right-hander, who fell to 0-4 after four starts, gave up two homers in each of his first three starts and has been tagged for 10 homers this season, the most in the major leagues.

Santana became the first Angels pitcher since Don Sutton in 1986 to give up multiple home runs in his first four starts. He also gave up more homers (four) in five-plus innings Tuesday night than any Angels player has hit this season.

The Angels’ offensive woes continued at the hands of left-hander David Price, who went the distance on a five-hitter, striking out six and walking one. Price, who threw 119 pitches, 80 for strikes, retired the first nine batters and did not give up a hit until Mark Trumbo’s leadoff single in the fifth.

The Angels, who expected to have one of their most potent lineups ever, have hit two home runs in the last 69 innings and only 11 this season, the fewest in the American League.

First baseman Albert Pujols , who signed a 10-year, $240-million deal in December, was hitless in four at-bats and has not gotten a hit in his last four games. The last time he went hitless in four consecutive starts was Aug. 30-Sept. 3, 2010.

The slugger who averaged a homer every 14.3 at-bats in 11 seasons in St. Louis, has also gone 17 games and 69 at-bats without a homer, his longest homerless drought to start a season and his longest overall drought since going 27 games and 105 at-bats without a homer April 24-May 22, 2011.

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Long ball dooms Ervin Santana again in Rays’ 5-0 win over Angels